WO2015117919A1 - Dispositif portatif avec microphone - Google Patents

Dispositif portatif avec microphone Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2015117919A1
WO2015117919A1 PCT/EP2015/052058 EP2015052058W WO2015117919A1 WO 2015117919 A1 WO2015117919 A1 WO 2015117919A1 EP 2015052058 W EP2015052058 W EP 2015052058W WO 2015117919 A1 WO2015117919 A1 WO 2015117919A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
gain
audio signal
orientation
value
handheld device
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP2015/052058
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Jeroen Daniël Annick VERHAEGHE
Original Assignee
Tp Vision Holding B.V.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Tp Vision Holding B.V. filed Critical Tp Vision Holding B.V.
Priority to DE112015000640.0T priority Critical patent/DE112015000640T5/de
Priority to US15/107,440 priority patent/US20170004845A1/en
Publication of WO2015117919A1 publication Critical patent/WO2015117919A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10L—SPEECH ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES OR SPEECH SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING
    • G10L21/00—Speech or voice signal processing techniques to produce another audible or non-audible signal, e.g. visual or tactile, in order to modify its quality or its intelligibility
    • G10L21/02—Speech enhancement, e.g. noise reduction or echo cancellation
    • G10L21/0316—Speech enhancement, e.g. noise reduction or echo cancellation by changing the amplitude
    • G10L21/0324—Details of processing therefor
    • G10L21/034—Automatic adjustment
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03G—CONTROL OF AMPLIFICATION
    • H03G3/00—Gain control in amplifiers or frequency changers
    • H03G3/20—Automatic control
    • H03G3/30—Automatic control in amplifiers having semiconductor devices
    • H03G3/3005—Automatic control in amplifiers having semiconductor devices in amplifiers suitable for low-frequencies, e.g. audio amplifiers
    • H03G3/3026—Automatic control in amplifiers having semiconductor devices in amplifiers suitable for low-frequencies, e.g. audio amplifiers the gain being discontinuously variable, e.g. controlled by switching
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/16—Sound input; Sound output
    • G06F3/165—Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10L—SPEECH ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES OR SPEECH SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING
    • G10L15/00—Speech recognition
    • G10L15/22—Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10L—SPEECH ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES OR SPEECH SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING
    • G10L25/00—Speech or voice analysis techniques not restricted to a single one of groups G10L15/00 - G10L21/00
    • G10L25/48—Speech or voice analysis techniques not restricted to a single one of groups G10L15/00 - G10L21/00 specially adapted for particular use
    • G10L25/51—Speech or voice analysis techniques not restricted to a single one of groups G10L15/00 - G10L21/00 specially adapted for particular use for comparison or discrimination
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2499/00—Aspects covered by H04R or H04S not otherwise provided for in their subgroups
    • H04R2499/10—General applications
    • H04R2499/11—Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to handheld devices equipped with microphone.
  • the distance between the microphone and the user's mouth may vary quite a lot, from a few centimetres when held close to the mouth to more than half a meter when held at arm's length. This greatly affects the sound level received by the microphone, and the gain of the microphone amplifier needs to be adjusted accordingly. Unfortunately, automatic gain control cannot always be applied. For example, when a command consists of just a short word, adjusting the gain halfway the word will interfere with the speech recognition and hamper the correct recognition of the command.
  • US 2013/0202130 A1 describes a hand held device equipped with a sensor system for measuring the distance to the user's head by using infrared, acoustic or photographic sensors. The measured distance is used to adjust the microphone amplifier gain.
  • US 201 1/0158425 A1 describes a cellular phone that adjusts the directivity of its two microphones based on acquired sound source direction information if the acquired sound source direction information is determined to be correct and based on a determined tilt angle and a previously learned mapping from tilt angle to sound source direction information otherwise.
  • US 201 1/0158425 A1 further describes the cellular phone including a microphone gain controller for adjusting the gain of amplification of a sound signal input from the microphones based on the sound source direction information.
  • a handheld device comprising a microphone for converting speech into an audio signal, an audio signal amplifier for amplifying the audio signal, means for adjusting the gain of the audio signal amplifier, and means for determining an orientation of the device with respect to a horizontal plane, characterized in that the device is configured to adjust the gain of the audio signal amplifier in a dependence on the determined orientation of the device, the device being configured to adjust the gain of the audio amplifier to a first value when the device is oriented essentially horizontal and to a second value when the device is oriented essentially vertical, the first value being higher than the second value.
  • the invention is, inter alia, based on the insight that for handheld devices the orientation of the device is a good indicator for the distance between the device and the user's mouth. This enables the correct setting of the microphone gain without actually measuring this distance, which can be realized in a technically simple manner.
  • the device is configured to adjust the gain of the audio signal amplifier such that the gain increases with an increasing angle of device with respect to the horizontal plane.
  • the highest gain value corresponds to an essentially vertical orientation of the device.
  • the lowest gain value corresponds to an essentially horizontal orientation of the device.
  • the device comprises means for determining the strength of the audio signal, and is configured to determine the dependence based on the determined orientation and a determined signal strength. In a further embodiment the dependence is determined by comparing tilt values with audio signal strength during use of the device.
  • FIG. 1 shows a user holding a remote control
  • Fig. 2 shows a user holding a remote control
  • Fig. 3 shows a system diagram
  • Fig. 4 shows a system diagram
  • Figure 1 shows a user holding a remote control 1 1 to control a device, such as a flat television.
  • the remote control 1 1 is equipped with a microphone 12 for converting sound into an audio signal. Note that the user will normally hold the remote control 1 1 with the buttons facing upward, here they are shown just for clarity of the illustration.
  • the microphone 12 may be used for receiving speech input to operate the flat television with voice control, or it may be used to capture the user's voice for communication purposes like video chatting, or for yet some other purpose.
  • the distance d between the microphone 12 and the user's mouth is indicated with an arrow, and may in this situation for example be around 60 cm.
  • Figure 2 show the same user, now holding the same remote control 1 1 close to his head.
  • the distance d between mouth and microphone 12 may now be only 5 - 10 cm.
  • the difference in distance between the two situations means that the sound intensity received by the microphone 12 may differ two orders of magnitude due to the quadratic decay of sound intensity with distance.
  • gain control cannot always be applied, however. In case speech is received for voice control, changing the gain during a command spoken by the user my interfere with the correct recognition of the command. Also, means for automatic gain control may not be present in the remote control device.
  • the result could be used to set a proper gain depending on the distance. This will work well in practice, but the means needed to perform the measurement are not commonly present in handheld devices, and too expensive to add just for this function.
  • the inventors have realised that it is possible to distinguish between the situations of Figure 1 and 2 by detecting the orientation of the remote control 1 1 .
  • the remote control 1 1 In the first situation with the remote control 1 1 held on the knees, the remote control 1 1 is held in a horizontal orientation, whereas in the second situation with the remote control 1 1 held close to the mouth, it is held in a vertical orientation.
  • a horizontal orientation of the handheld device points to a longer distance between mouth and microphone 12 and the need for a higher gain
  • a vertical orientation points to a short distance and the need for a lower gain value. This relation has been found to work well in practice.
  • the remote control is held at an angle of about 45° from horizontal when held on the lap close to the body, and in this case the distance as well as the orientation are in between the horizontal and vertical situations.
  • the orientation of the remote control with respect to the horizontal plane, the tilt may be used to determine the appropriate gain value for the microphone amplifier to be used.
  • modern remote controls may also include pointing technology, by which the user can control, for example, a pointer or indicator on a television screen by moving the remote control. This functionality is commonly enabled by accelerometers, gyroscopic or other sensors in the remote control, which have become quite common with the advent of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology.
  • MEMS microelectromechanical systems
  • the sensors used for the pointing functionality can be used to determine the tilt of the remote control.
  • Such sensors commonly can detect the direction of gravity, so they can be used to determine the tilt of the remote control.
  • the absolute tilt may still be determined after some form of calibration. In case of a remote control this can be done while the remote control is in a known position which is associated with a predetermined orientation, for example lying on a table where it spends most of its time and wherein the device has a horizontal orientation.
  • the remote control has some form of charging station, which is common for devices with pointing functionality, the orientation of the device when it is placed in the charging device will be known and fixed, and can be used to calibrate the absolute tilt.
  • the tilt of the remote control device is measured using the sensors, and the gain for the microphone amplifier is determined based on the tilt value.
  • the gain for the microphone amplifier is determined based on the tilt value.
  • LUT lookup table
  • the device may self-learn the relation between required gain value and tilt value during use.
  • tilt values By relating tilt values with audio signal strength a relationship between appropriate gain value and tilt can be established, which is in that case implicitly adjusted to the user with regard to for example loudness of voice, ways of holding the remote control, or length of arms.
  • This self-learning may continuously occur during regular usage of the remote control, or there may be a calibration procedure in which the user is asked to give a number of commands holding the remote control in various ways.
  • Figure 4 presents a simple system diagram showing the main parts required to implement the invention.
  • the microphone 12 is connected to an audio signal amplifier 13 which has an input 14 for setting the gain value. To this input is connected the output of the tilt sensor 15.
  • FIG. 5 presents a somewhat more advanced implementation, where a micro-processor 16 is added, with memory 17.
  • This processor receives tilt values from the sensor, and receives audio signal strength information from the circuit 18, arranged to determine the audio signal strength from the amplifier output. Based on the tilt value, the processor may select the appropriate gain value from a lookup table stored in the memory, or calculate it using parameters stored in memory.
  • the processor is connected to the gain input 14 of the audio signal amplifier 13 to set the appropriate gain in response to the tilt value.
  • the processor will monitor the audio levels measured by circuit 18 and the tilt values measure by the sensor 15, and use it to determine a relation between tilt and required gain value which may be stored in memory as a lookup table or as parameters to a function.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Audiology, Speech & Language Pathology (AREA)
  • Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Computational Linguistics (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Quality & Reliability (AREA)
  • Circuit For Audible Band Transducer (AREA)
  • Selective Calling Equipment (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un dispositif portatif avec un microphone (12) permettant de convertir la parole en signal audio. Le dispositif comprend également un amplificateur de signal audio (13) permettant d'amplifier le signal audio et un moyen (14) permettant d'ajuster le gain de l'amplificateur de signal audio. Le dispositif comprend en outre un moyen (15) permettant de déterminer une orientation du dispositif vis-à-vis d'un plan horizontal. Le dispositif est conçu pour ajuster le gain de l'amplificateur de signal audio en fonction de l'orientation déterminée du dispositif. Le dispositif est en outre conçu pour ajuster le gain de l'amplificateur audio à une première valeur lorsque le dispositif est orienté essentiellement horizontalement et à une seconde valeur lorsque le dispositif est orienté essentiellement verticalement, la première valeur étant supérieure à la seconde valeur.
PCT/EP2015/052058 2014-02-04 2015-02-02 Dispositif portatif avec microphone WO2015117919A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE112015000640.0T DE112015000640T5 (de) 2014-02-04 2015-02-02 Handgerät mit Mikrofon
US15/107,440 US20170004845A1 (en) 2014-02-04 2015-02-02 Handheld device with microphone

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP14153734.0 2014-02-04
EP14153734 2014-02-04

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2015117919A1 true WO2015117919A1 (fr) 2015-08-13

Family

ID=50031219

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/EP2015/052058 WO2015117919A1 (fr) 2014-02-04 2015-02-02 Dispositif portatif avec microphone

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US20170004845A1 (fr)
DE (1) DE112015000640T5 (fr)
WO (1) WO2015117919A1 (fr)

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CN105137937A (zh) * 2015-08-28 2015-12-09 青岛海尔科技有限公司 一种智能物联家电的控制方法、装置及智能物联家电
US20160330548A1 (en) * 2015-05-06 2016-11-10 Xiaomi Inc. Method and device of optimizing sound signal
CN108476555A (zh) * 2016-10-31 2018-08-31 华为技术有限公司 音频处理的方法和终端设备

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US10244333B2 (en) * 2016-06-06 2019-03-26 Starkey Laboratories, Inc. Method and apparatus for improving speech intelligibility in hearing devices using remote microphone

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US20130202130A1 (en) 2012-02-03 2013-08-08 Motorola Mobility, Inc. Motion Based Compensation of Uplinked Audio

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
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US10499156B2 (en) * 2015-05-06 2019-12-03 Xiaomi Inc. Method and device of optimizing sound signal
CN105137937A (zh) * 2015-08-28 2015-12-09 青岛海尔科技有限公司 一种智能物联家电的控制方法、装置及智能物联家电
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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US20170004845A1 (en) 2017-01-05
DE112015000640T5 (de) 2017-02-09

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